Abstract

The first edition of this work appeared some seventeen years ago and deservedly received highly meritorious reviews. It is regrettable that the second edition adds so little to the original. Considering the few changes made and the little additional material it is difficult to understand why a second edition instead of another printing was decided upon. The only new material consists in chapter nine entitled ‘Emergence of Naturalistic Realism’. The author acknowledges that this constitutes a bare beginning for the full story of American naturalism and that the more recent developments in American philosophy, especially phenomenology and analysis are still to be written. Actually, however, the only thing new in this chapter consists of some material on James, Santayana and American Realism, all of which could and should have been incorporated in the earlier chapters dealing with these subjects. The present treatment creates the impression that a few points or after-thoughts were left out of the first edition. To add a new and concluding chapter in this manner also creates the false impression that the history of American philosophy is being brought up to date.